St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-09-15
SENSATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

L. T. Hazen Repudiates the Hazen Bill
and Gives His Reasons for Doing So.
The railroad fight in the New Hamp-
shire legislature between the Boston &
Maine and Concord roads is of more OF
less interest to st. Johnsbury and sta
tons along the line of the b. & l.. con
nectiOns. Early in the session of the
legislature L. t. Hazen presented a
bill in the interest of the Boston &
Maine road. The AthertOn bill was
introduced later in the interests of the
Concord road. The fight has been
raging fercely between the supporters
of these two bills. To the surprise of
all Mr.. Hazen read a statement last
Thursday in which he repudiated his
own bill and announces his intention of
supporting the Anterior bill, giving
| his reasons for so doing. Probably no
greater excitement was ever seen in
that which occurred when the state
ment from Mr.. Hazen was read. Its
reading was begun by the clerk, Mr..
H|azen having explained that, in con-
sequence of illness, he did not feel
able to deliver it. A perfect, almost
breathless, silence was preserved up to
the point where Mr.. Hazen declared
himself unable to support the Hazen
bill, when a storm of cheers and ap-
plause from the floor and galleries of
the house rang out. For few mo-
ments a scene of wild confusion pre-
vailed, but order was finally restored
and the reading proceeded in quiet, but
concluded amid tumultuOus demOnstra-
tions of appreciation by the members.
Here is
MIR. Hazen's Statement.
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen of the
House of Representatives fully con-
cur with the gentlemen who have
spoken on this floor that the issue in
volved in the pending motion is second
to no other which, in all our history,
has claimed the consideration of this
honorable body; and L am glad to be
able to indOrse the public sentiment
well abroad in our state, that no legis-
lature ever assembled in this capitol
was better equipped with clean hands
and high qualities of brain and heart
which are called for in the discharge
of this great trust for the people of
New Hampshire. Impressed with these
reflections, and realizing the heavy re-
spOnsibility resting upon me as a
sworn member of this house, to say
nothing of the special relation concern
ing my name with the progress and
destiny of the Hazen bill, have tried
to arm myself with frmuess to do my
whole duty in the hour when this great
question shall come to the roll call of
final arbitrament. / have studied the
question with thoughtful care in its
various unfOldings before the commit
tee and, having weighed and measured
it to the very best of my ability, upon
my honor as man and my oath as
representative, l am finally unable to
resist the conclusion that l have been
honestly mistaken as far as the inter-
ests of those who sent me here are con-
cerned, and, learning this, / am as
honestly resolved that no fear of per-
sonal oblOquy or false attachment to
leaders shall deter me from declaring,
here and now, that l believe the Ath-
ertOn bill, coupled with a bond which
hold in my hand, is more for the inter-
est of my constituents than the Hazen
bill. l confess that l approach this
conclusion with fear and trembling. |
know the price shall have to pay and
the suffering shall endure for taking
this step but it is right, and being
right, am not afraid to take the re-
spOnsibility here and elsewhere, now
and for all time, asking neither pardon
nor quarter from any man, let the per-
sonal consequences be what they may. |
l am not a politician, for this is my
first political Office. Politicians never
change their minds, unless they are
paid for it, and am untitled by habit |
and preference for sphere of action |
in which the honest change of opinion |
inherent in the wisdom and philosophy |
of all men, except politicians, is held
to be treason to the throne of party |
dictation although Ibelieve l am able
to show that have changed my ale
glance without parting from the essen
tial views l have held from the begin
ming of this controversy.
L know you will bear with me while
L tell you, as briefly as can, my rea-
sons for transferring my adhesion from
the Hazen to the Anterior bill. First
L was instructed to support the Ather-
ton bill by my constituents, more than
three to one, in public meeting fairly
warned and held for that purpose.
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